[OutsiderFan]

Unless you're planning to include 32 or 64 teams, there is no equitable way to create a college-football playoff.

Don't know about 32, but absolutely more than four teams.  I'd be OK with 8, and would be satisfied with 16.  Would there ever have been a year where there would have been a hue and cry because the #17 team didn't get a shot at the crystal football?  Highly doubtful. 

Usually there really aren't more than 5-6 teams that could legitimately be considered a possible champion.  The rest would be there to pull off some kind of equitable format that allows more teams to have a shot, and so there can be geometrically symmetrical brackets.  You want to have enough teams to have that potential for the storybook upset.  That really creates greater interest.  A four team structure absolutely fails to deliver this dynamic. 

The fact they are only considering four teams and want to find a way to keep the bowls involved, is a clear indication of how much power the bowls hold over college football.  The iron grip they have on the game has to be broken.

[OutsiderFan]

Unless you're planning to include 32 or 64 teams, there is no equitable way to create a college-football playoff.

Don't know about 32, but absolutely more than four teams.  I'd be OK with 8, and would be satisfied with 16.  Would there ever have been a year where there would have been a hue and cry because the #17 team didn't get a shot at the crystal football?  Highly doubtful. 

Usually there really aren't more than 5-6 teams that could legitimately be considered a possible champion.  The rest would be there to pull off some kind of equitable format that allows more teams to have a shot, and so there can be geometrically symmetrical brackets.  You want to have enough teams to have that potential for the storybook upset.  That really creates greater interest.  A four team structure absolutely fails to deliver this dynamic. 

The fact they are only considering four teams and want to find a way to keep the bowls involved, is a clear indication of how much power the bowls hold over college football.  The iron grip they have on the game has to be broken.